Little Rock, political and economic centre of Arkansas, lies in the heart of the state, separated from its sister city of North Little Rock by the Arkansas River. The town, founded in 1812, took its name from the French "petite roche"; it became capital of the state in 1821. The Quapaw Historic District (named after a local Indian tribe) preserves some handsome remains of old Little Rock, including the classical Old State House and the Arkansas Museum of Science and History in MacArthur Park, housed in the only surviving building of Little Rock's Arsenal (1836), in which General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) was born. Fans of "Gone with the Wind" will want to visit the Old Mill (a watermill of 1828) in North Little Rock, where the early scenes of the film were shot.
Central High School National Historic Site marks a key location in the Civil Rights movement, where nine African American students first entered the high school, escorted by military personnel.
The Clinton Presidential Library has an archival research facility and a museum. Interactive exhibits, over 1 million photos, and gifts that Clinton received as the President are on display.
The Clinton Presidential Library and Museum has full scale replicas of the Cabinet Room and the Oval Office.
Exterior of Clinton Presidential Library, Little Rock.
Address: Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, 1200 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, United States
Phone: 1 (501) 374-4242, Fax: 1 (501) 244-2883
Hours:
9am-5pm; Sun:1pm-5pm
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Tips: Free admission on Presidents Day, Independence Day and
President Clinton's Birthday. All Active Duty Military are Free.
The Museum of Discovery features exhibits on Life/Earth Science and Anthropological/Historical objects. On display are rocks, minerals, fossils, taxidermy specimens, communication items, farm equipment, woodworking tools, Native American pottery and baskets, historical items from the Little Rock Fire Department, sculpture, multicultural masks, fans, Egyptian artifacts, Kewpie Dolls, and other items directly related to the history of Arkansas.
Address: Museum Of Discovery, 500 President Clinton Avenue, Suite 150, Little Rock, AR 72201, United States
Phone: 1 (501) 396-7050, Fax: 1 (501) 396-7054
Hours:
9am-5pm; Sun:1pm-5pm
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24), Easter - Christian
Tips: No admission charge from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. on the first Friday of each month.
Based on the design of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, the Arkansas State Capitol is made of white marble and granite. The front entrance doors for the State Capitol are made of bronze and the cupola is covered in 24 karat gold leaf.
The Alabama State Capitol building in Little Rock.
Hours:
7am-5pm; Sun:10am-3pm; Sat:10am-3pm
Tips: Free scheduled tours of the Capitol Building are offered weekdays between 9 am and 4 pm.
The Aerospace Education Center is located at the Little Rock National Airport. The Center features historical aircraft, a NASA exhibit, an IMAX theater and an aerospace library. The Aerospace Education Center has the only IMAX theater in Arkansas and features the world's first EpiSphere Digital Planetarium.
Hours:
Always closed on: Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Tips: Friday night is Family Night - all ages pay child admission rate.
The Arkansas Arts Center features nine galleries as well as classrooms and a theater. The permanent collection includes American and European paintings, drawings, and sculptures from the 16th C to present. A children's theater and decorative arts museum are also part of the center.
Address: Arkansas Arts Center, Box 2137, Little Rock, AR 72203-2137, United States
Phone: 1 (501) 372-4000, Fax: 1 (501) 375-8053
The Arkansas Children's Museum is now closed and has merged with the Museum of Discovery.
Located in the former Union Station, the Children's Museum offers creative interactive displays for children from their first year through elementary school. A mock farmers market and a "construction area" are just two of the museum's unique features.
Ernie's Museum of Black Arkansans focuses on the role African Americans have played in the cultural development of Arkansas. Ernie's Museum or EMOBA is housed in the historic First Baptist Church building that also serves as a performing arts center for African Americans.
The Little Rock Zoo maintains a collection of approximately 725 animals from 200 different species from around the world. The giraffe, big cat and tropical rainforest exhibit are very popular.
Address: Little Rock Zoo, 1 Jonesboro Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205-5403, United States
Phone: 1 (501) 666-2406, Fax: 1 (501) 666-7040
Hours:
9am-5pm
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History is housed in the historic Tower Building, part of the Little Rock Arsenal. Artifacts, photographs, documents, uniforms, weapons, and other military items are on display.
Address: MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 East Ninth Street, Little Rock, AR 72202, United States
Phone: 1 (501) 376-4602, Fax: 1 (501) 376-4593
The Old State House was designed by Gideon Shryock and is one of the best examples of Doric architecture in the southern states. The building was completed in 1842 with some alterations done in 1885. On display in the museum are decorative arts, inaugural gowns of governors' wives, and historical displays relating to the politics of the state.
The Old State House served as the capitol when Arkansas became a state in 1836.
Address: Old State House Museum, 300 West Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72201, United States
Phone: 1 (501) 324-9685, Fax: 1 (501) 324-9688
Hours:
9am-5pm; Sun:1pm-5pm
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Villa Marre is now a private residence, and is not open to the public.
Villa Marre was built in 1881 for Angelo and Jennie Marre and was one of the finest houses in the city. In 1986 it become better known as the "Designing Women House" when it was used as the set for the Designing Women television series.
Villa Marre is a combination of Italianate and Second Empire styles of architecture. There were furnishings dating from the mid-19th C through the early 20th C on display. Villa Marre became a private residence in 2002, and its furnishings were sold at a public auction.
Address: Quapaw Quarter Association, Box 165023, Little Rock, AR 72216, United States
Phone: 1 (501) 371-0075, Fax: 1 (501) 374-8142
Wildwood Park is a park for music and the performing arts, designed for indoor and outdoor performances. With 104 acres, the park also has a number of gardens and smaller facilities.
Within Wildwood Park are The Gertrude Butler Pavilion with drifts of daffodils and native flowering trees; The Butler Arboretum featuring natural woodlands and nature trails; Bruce Gardens is home to native perennials and decorative grasses and the Doris Gay Garden with its Asian influence.
Hours:
9am-5pm; Sun:11am-5pm; Sat:10am-5pm
Tips: Admission charged to gardens on festival weekends.
The thermal hot springs of Hot Springs National Park were cherished by the American Indians and the early Europeans. Old bathhouses, now National Historic Landmarks, still stand in the park.
The Faulkner County Museum offers displays on the history of the area, including artifacts, equipment, household items, clothing, crafts, and photographs. Exhibits at the Faulkner County Museum highlight how prehistoric to present day inhabitants have adapted to the local conditions.
The museum is housed in the old jail on the Faulkner County courthouse grounds.
The Lower White River Museum in Des Arc offers information on pioneer life along the White River. State-of-the art exhibits tell the story with life-sized figures that present an oral history.
Exhibits in the Lower White River Museum highlight agriculture, Civil War, pearling and button-making, timber, education, fishing and hunting, medicine and riverboats. These were important during the frontier days.
Next door to the museum is a replica of a late 1800s dogtrot log cabin, owned by Prairie County.
Hours:
8am-5pm; Sun:1pm-5pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas Eve - Christian (December 24), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Joe Hogan Fish Hatchery is one of the world's largest warm-water working fish hatcheries. The main species are largemouth bass, black and white crappie, bluegill and channel catfish.
The visitor center at Joe Hogan Fish Hatchery has an aquarium and an observation platform.
Address: Joe Hogan Fish Hatchery, US Highway 70, Lonoke, AR 72086, United States
Phone: 1 (501) 676-6963, Fax: 1 (501) 676-2734
The Ozark National Forest is located to the north of Morrilton and the Ouachita National Forest to the south. The town of Morrilton was built along the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad in the 1870s. The Arkansas River borders the south edge of town and separates it from Petit Jean Mountain.
Located 12mi. north of Mountain Pine, Lake Ouachita State Park covers 370 acres and includes the largest man-made lake in Arkansas. Lake Ouachita is ideal for swimming, water skiing, scuba diving, boating and fishing.
Hours:
Always closed on: Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
The Grant County Museum offers exhibits on the pioneer era, American Indians, the Civil War, and the history of Grant County. Also on site are a number of 19th C log buildings. Some of the more notable displays include a collection of military vehicles, Civil War Red River Expedition room and details of the Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company.
Stuttgart, founded around 1880 by a German from Swabia in southern Germany and named after the Swabian capital, is now a centre for rice growing and water fowl hunting. It has an interesting Agricultural Museum illustrating the development of farming in the prairies.
The Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie highlights the history of the agriculture and pioneers who farmed the area. Exhibits include rice milling, fish farming, crop dusting, an antique decoy collection and Waterfowl art.
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Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
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Hot Springs National Park, Little Rock
Hot Springs, Little Rock
Hot Springs, Little Rock
Hot Springs, Little Rock
Hot Springs, Little Rock
Hot Springs, Little Rock
Hot Springs, Little Rock
